Isawa Uona
Isawa Uona became Master of Air upon the death of Isawa Eju. Uona had been largely fulfilling the duties of the role for some time due to Master Eju's debilitating illness. Childhood Isawa Uona was the youngest daughter of a mediocre Isawa Shugenja. Clan War: Phoenix Army Expansion, p. 44 She was a beautiful and skilled girl, so her parents believed that she could bring honor to the clan by becoming a courtier rather than a shugenja. At seven years of age, Uona was sent for training to the Artisan Academy of the Kakita family. While there, she excelled in dance, song, and especially haiku. Her career as an artisan seemed certain. Way of the Phoenix, p. 74 Childfriends Uona, Shiba Tsukune, and Kitsu Koji were almost inseparable since childhood. They spent many summer seasons under the care of Bashiko, and in winter time Tsukune returned to be trained with the Lion Clan, while Uona and Koji were taught by old sensei Isawa Gaoshi. Strength of the Clan (Phoenix Army Expansion), by Ree Soesbee Changing Plans In 1117 Uona's time with the Crane artisans came to an abrupt end when she met Asahina Tomo, the aged Crane Clan master shugenja. Tomo recognized within Uona a dormant but potent magical ability. He brought Uona to a ritual that should have awakend the dormant kami around her. The ritual succeeded, but released far more power than the aged Crane had anticipated. The spirits carried her aloft to high above the ground and told her directly secrets the Crane would never understand. The kami then sat Uona back on the ground and raced northward to tell the dying Isawa Eju that his replacement had been found. Way of the Phoenix, pp. 74-75 True Love By the time Uona celebrated her eighteenth year, she had returned permanently to the Phoenix lands. Eventually, just before New Year, the trio of friends exchanged gifts, prior to take the duties that would separate them. Koji gave Uona a translocation spell, while Tsukune gave her a silvered tanto, which had been given by her father in his deathbed. Later this year Koji would return permanently to his father's side, to join the Lion Clan Army. He told Uona that Tsukune had rejected to become his wife. Unknown to him, Uona was heartbroken, because she had loved Koji, and wished he would ask her to marry, instead to their common friend. Uona the Tensai The Crane were obligated at that point to release Uona from her vows to them and return her to the Phoenix Clan. Uona became Master Eju's apprentice, and she served him for many years before his death. As his condition worsened, Uona took on more and more of the responsiblities of the Master as he became unable to fulfil them. Way of the Phoenix, p. 75 Setsuban Tournament Uona was the winner of the annual Setsuban Festival Tournament at Ki-Rin's Shrine, which demonstrated the ability of the shugenja in the presence of the Elemental Masters. Code of Bushido, pp. 16-17 Uona was apprentice to Isawa Tomo, the Master of Water. Code of Bushido, p. 33 Asako winter court Uona attended the Asako winter court at Shiro Gisu, where her champion's heir, Shiba Himitsu, was found murdered. Code of Bushido, p. 28 Uona represented her clan in the trial against the supposed murderer, Kyuden. Code of Bushido, p. 32 Personality Development The sudden attention to Isawa Uona left her more than a little egotistical. She acted shy outwardly, but inwardly the apprentice was quite proud of her duties and responsibilites, confidently believing that she was the best choice for the position once Master Eju passed away. Master of Air Shortly before the Winter Court at Kyuden Seppun in 1123, Eju grew ill, and passed away. Uona was named the Master of Air and member of the Council of Five during the Emperor's court. Winter Court: Kyuden Seppun, p. 115 Attitudes as Master Despite the pacifism of the Phoenix Clan, and despite the relatively non-combatant nature of Air magic, Uona once saved a party of Crab scouts from an oni along the River of the Last Stand. The Crab, who were housing her as she searched for the wayward Isawa Tadaka, were impressed both at her power and the control that let her handle the situation without needless violence, thereby maintaining her pacifistic principles. Way of the Phoenix pp. 13-14 Challenged Once Uona was challenged to a duel by Matsu Kaiki. Remembering Uona's aid of the Crab in her brief time on the Carpenter Wall, Hiruma Toju volunteered to act as her champion, killing Kaiki. Way of the Phoenix, p. 13 Scorpion Coup When news of the Scorpion Coup arrived to the Council they moved to join the rest of combined clan forces. On day six of the coup the Masters managed to temporarily suppress the Enchanted Wall, allowing the Great Clans to fight their way into the inner city, where the southern gate of the Forbidden Palace was then breached by the Masters. Otosan Uchi: The Scorpion's Sting, p. 49 Corruption As the Council of Five continued their attempts to understand the Shadowlands and the dark influences spreading across the Empire they sent Isawa Tadaka into the Shadowlands to discover the source of the evil presence. He did not return for months. The Gaijin's Guide to Rokugan - Part 4: Distant Thunder Clan Letter to the Phoenix #1 (Imperial Herald v1 #1) Concealing the Secret In 1125 Tadaka journeyed to the Shadowlands, leaving three Black Scrolls in his chambers at Kyuden Isawa, under the guard of the rest of the Masters. His disappearance from Rokugan was evident when for three times he refused a summons from the Imperial Court. Matsu Hiroru, Tadaka's childhood friend, was concerned about the Masterof Earth's fate, and sneaked into the Palace of the Isawa. There he found a jade and pearl lacquered box which contained the scrolls. Uona confronted Hiroru with words, explaining the evil which was threatening the Empire. Hiroru was shocked after the Master of Air told the Masters had been exposed to the taint. The White Ninja returned the box and left. Player's Guide: 2nd Ed, pp. 191-192 Return of Tadaka In 1126 Tadaka returned, bringing one of the Black Scrolls he had stolen from Yogo Junzo's stronghold, as a tale of Yogo Junzo was marshaling an army to invade the Empire. The Masters sequestered themselves to study the four Black Scrolls in their possesion, to provide the knowledge to defeat the Shadowlands. Isawa Kaede, the Master of Void, refused to join them. Time of the Void, p. 8 Fighting the Shadowlands While the Great Clans were preparing for the unavoidable battle to control Otosan Uchi, Uona fought in the Battle of Doro Crossroads under the command of Isawa Tadaka, with the Lion army winning the day against a Shadowlands army, a Toturi's Army, and the Phoenix army. Clan War: Thunder's Challenge, pp. 46-49 Unsealing the Scrolls In 1127 Tadaka convinced the Council of Five to start unsealing the Black Scrolls demanding that their hidden secrets be unmasked. Time of the Void, p. 12 Tadaka believed that the only way to halt the impending threat to the Empire was to understand it. And in order to understand it they had to open the Black Scrolls, to learn the dark knowledge contained within. The scrolls will bring the taint to those who read the scrolls, but with what they learn, they would gain the insight required to save the Empire. Siege: Clan War (Rulebook story) Uona researched the fifth, Dark Divination. The scroll's Taint turned her face into an unmoving mask whose eyes wept tears of blood. Dark Divination (Siege: Clan War flavor) Uona realized that the Second Day of Thunder was coming, and that the new Seven Thunders had to be gathered. Death of her True Love Uona tested the Black Scroll to predict the outcome of a duel between her cousin Shiba Tsukune and her own true love, Kitsu Koji. Predicting that Tsukune would win, she tried to magically interfere, using the spell and tanto her friends had given her many years ago. Uona moved to the battlefield, stabbed Tsukune, and returned to Kyuden Isawa instantly. Tsukune, who was performing a non-lethal strike, was interrupted, thrusting her katana into Koji's open throat, causing the death of the man Uona loved. Effects of the Taint Uona was heavily deformed by the Black Scroll Dark Divination, covering her features behind a procelain mask. She gained the power to sense Tainted creatures across the Empire. Time of the Void, p. 34 Under the corrupting spell's influence she took the ashen pallor and skeletal countenance of her fellow Master Tadaka. Clan Letter to the Phoenix #3 (Imperial Herald v1 #3) Confronting Tsukune In the early winter of 1128, Shiba Tsukune became frustrated with the corruption of Tadaka. She barged through the guards protecting Tadaka no Oni for study and killed the beast with one blow, releasing part of Tadaka's soul. Uona confronted Tsukune, but Tsukune condemned the Elemental Masters for their descent into corruption, regardless of the reward. Time of the Void, p. 100 Anvil of Despair Tadaka no Oni, the oni named by Tadaka, revealed the location of the Anvil of Despair, and a band of Inquisitors was immediately dispatched to take custody of the anvil. They never returned. Time of the Void, pp. 53, 74 The Council approached the Asako and asked that the Asako use their special talents to determine the fate of the anvil and those who accompanied it. Asako Yasu reported that the fate of the Anvil was beyond their reach, and that the Inquisitors' leader, Asako Yurito had died. Before Yurito died, he underwent a transformation. His mind drew withdrew secrets from a shadowed place and write down those secrets in the form of prophecy before he died. The prophecies laid with his body, near Amaterasu's Furnace. A spy passed this information on to others, who wished to catch the dangerous information within the Prophecies of Yurito. The Prophecies of Asako Yurito, by Ken Carpenter (Imperial Herald #15) Death Uona fought in the assault on Otosan Uchi, using her skills against Emperor's archery. Fog (Time of the Void flavor) She was killed by the insane Master of Fire Isawa Tsuke in 1128 on the Second Day of Thunder. Immortal, by Rich Wulf Time of the Void, p. 103 See also * Isawa Uona/Meta * Isawa Uona/CW Meta External Links * Isawa Uona (Imperial) * Isawa Uona Exp (Forbidden Knowledge) * Isawa Uona Exp2 (Time of the Void) * Uona no Shiryo (Broken Blades) * Uona Sensei (Spirit Wars) Category:Phoenix Clan Leaders